Growers from the Hills Orchard Improvement Group (HOIG) have returned from a US study tour confident that the Mediterranean fruit fly plague damaging local orchards can be brought under control.
Tour leader, Brett DelSimone, said it was an honour for Perth growers to be invited by Central Washington University to study world best practice production methods, varietal assessment, processes to minimise product waste and, crucially, fruit fly control methods. “US authorities do not just consider fruit fly to be an impediment to private business production. They recognise the impact that it has on interstate and international trade, employment, taxation, food security, retail pricing and consumer confidence in fruit.”
Mediterranean Fruit Fly has been declared endemic in Western Australia, while in Washington and California they deal with a range of fruit flies including Mediterranean, Suzuki and Cherry Fruit Fly.
“It is incredible how the US has controlled numerous fruit fly species to allow industry to flourish and open new global markets,” Mr DelSimone said.“Our Department of Agriculture and Food struggles to combat one species.”
US authorities control fruitfly through a carefully crafted long-term strategy, costing more than US$1 Billion for sterile release programs alone over 20 years. They also use Area Wide Management, which suppresses baseload fly populations, enforces restrictions on community bred fruit fly and have a health regulator that works co-operatively with industry, rather than against it, according to Mr DelSimone.
“Sadly our Agriculture Department has failed to fully implement even one of those critical strategies, instead spending taxpayer and industry money on piecemeal trials with no tangible outcome.”
“As WA producers, we grow a product that is the envy of the world in terms of flavour, quality and safety. What our industry needs is leadership. The evidence of the past 30 years shows that global competitors have left Australia behind on fruit fly control policies and techniques.”
Lack of funding a 'slap in the face' for WA growers
In recent months, the Department has confirmed that Area Wide Management has been abandoned. Senior Entomologist, Darryl Hardie, told growers at a Hills MedFly Initiative meeting that ‘There was not one extra cent for fruit fly control within the (Perth) Hills region’.
“That was a real slap in the face for local producers. Producers only have jurisdiction over the fruit fly within their own properties, with no ability to influence community-bred flies that destroy our crops," said Mr DelSimone. "The US has strong powers of compliance over fruit fly breeding within the community, and more importantly they are stringently enforced, while in WA authorities sit on their hands.”
HOIG has called for the Federal Government to take the lead role in suppressing fruit fly levels nationally as the presence of fruit fly is the greatest impediment to accessing new global markets.
“Federal Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, is expecting a report on his desk from the HOIG study tour, which is a great sign that he is actively engaging with industry in seeking a solution,” Mr DelSimone said.
The group expects to have a report for Mr Joyce’s office ready by mid-August.
The study tour to Washington State and California came after an invitation from Central Washington University Dean, Kathryn Martell. Tour delegates were hosted by Perth-born Professor Mark Pritchard.
For more information:
Brett DelSimone, Spokesperson
Hills Orchard Improvement Group & the Fruit Fly Action Group (HOIG)
Phone: +61413 343 227
E-mail: springhillorchard@gmail.com